"Cherry grades are larger than expected and fruits have a deep color that is very appealing to consumers. Our foreign partners are enjoying our fruits a lot," reports Aldo Rivoira from "La Sandrina", a company located in the Cuneo province.
Left to right: manager Gabriele Golè, Aldo Rivoira and technician Matteo Ferrari
"We own 1.60 hectares of cherry orchards in the Busca territory, with 3000 plants in total. It is not a high-density orchard, but we are very pleased with our results. Actually, if I had to extend the orchard, I would plant even fewer trees per hectare. We grow the Kordia and Regina varieties."
What is the secret to obtaining grades up to 38-39 and keep a high average? "There are no secrets nor tricks, but a lot of competence and experience are needed. Our technicians base themselves on the needs of the orchard, as there is no one-suits-all formula. In general, I can say that water and nutrients must be supplied as and when needed. Orchards must be taken care of as if they are children and ours are slowly becoming adults."
The company supplies some distributors for supermarkets chains in Belgium. "They appreciate our productions a lot. Cherries are placed in crates containing 5 kg of extra produce but luckily, this year, all of our produce has a high quality."
Aldo's son Luca (in the photo) and daughter Martina help him run the company (dedicated to his wife Sandra)
Another positive aspect, especially when it comes to cutting costs, is homogeneous ripening, meaning the fruit can be harvested in a single operation. "The entire orchard is protected with anti-rain and anti-insect nets. The only point of access is immediately closed every time. This way, we avoid insects and therefore keep treatments to a minimum."
Contacts
La Sandrina - Azienda Agricola
Via Pignolo Inferiore 113,
12022 Busca (Cuneo)
Tel.: +39 342 711 7783
Email: info@lasandrina.it
Website: www.lasandrina.com